Unfurling his Wings
by QueenOfFF123
Summary: Winged 21st century AU. Ponyboy was snatched when he was 6, put through millions of chemicals. he comes out on top but remains caged until he's almost 15. He escapes and goes on a journey to find his family again. He wants a family again, but will what's he's got left accept hiim?
1. Escape the Cage

Queen here, I'd like to say that this a fic that pairs with a blog of mine. This one is not my main priority but it will not be abandoned.

Okay a first chapter ever for this fic. It will be from one POV for the moment until further development. So this is an Outsiders fic, it is indeed AU. The setting is 21st century, (I cannot friggin spell I am so sorry), Ponyboy is the only winged one and I'm going to try and keep it that way. I really don't want to fill it up with winged or animal DNA people. That's just annoying. I don't own the Outsiders, S. does.

I don't remember much of my childhood. truthfully I never really had one. I remember a bunch of handsome faces even in youth and a radiant face of a woman whom I was sure was my mother. They try to tell me that none of the things I remember are real. That it's all in my head, hopeless fantasies in my brain. I know I was six when I came here. The walls are white. White is everywhere and the air is sterile. Needles, medication and crude instruments. I know that I am 14 because a doctor who has a soft spot told me so. He said I'll be 15 in a week or so. Like I could ever even tell time. Not like I cared anyways, what's the point? When I sleep I see flashes of white clothed faces and the sound of water. I hate deep water, it freaks me out. I remember when I was 8 they tried to make me breath underwater. It didn't work clearly, so they fed it some poor 4 year old. He died right next to me and I remember hearing horrid wheezing and then silence. I cried for a few hours until they took the body away.

They call me Micheal, but it's not my real name. I don't know my last name, it's something that I forgot. I know my first name is Ponyboy and my middle is Micheal. I think my last name started with a "C" but that's about it. I stretch my short legs as far as they can. I am literally a bird in a cage. My joints pop and I stretch the mixed browns that are my feathered wings. At first I hated them, i loathed their existence. For a few weeks they had to tie my hands to my legs so that I'd stop ripping out the feathers. But the Doctor who favoritized me (Doctor Delarosa) let me out of my cage. She said it was to test if the wings still worked even with my abuse of them. They did and even though I was a few feet off the ground it felt amazing. To know you can flap your way away from the force that pulls you down. I learned that was called "Gravity."

Today I sit in my cage, pondering how I'm going to smart off to the other doctors today. I want out, I want to stretch my now larger wings into the wind. They haven't let me since I was 13 and tried to fly over the wall. I was almost there until a guard shot my shoulder and clipped my wing. I fell and didn't get back up for a few weeks. I was healed after a week but I was so dead inside. To taste freedom but have the spoon ripped from you before you can swallow all of it. The door opens amd in step the muscleheads. They roughly pick up my cage amd throw me onto the dolly. I huff in annoyance and fold my wings around myself. They throw a few more on top. I know these are the dead because I heard them die. A girl had an allergic reaction to her own DNA and died. The boy beside me died from a rejection of cells and blood poisoning. The one top of him is clinging to life but failing, his lungs are malfuctioning because the fish DNA combined successfully but he needed water. The sunlight burns my eyes and I sheild my face with my wing.

"Hey musclehead, ever heard of shampoo? You smell worse than the dead kids around me." I say in a snide tone. This creates a domino effect. Normally they snap at me and sometimes claw my exposed legs but they've done this before. Guess I got the bad tempered ones. They take my cage and slam my cage down on the ground. The impact is so hard the bars snap. I use my own strength and bend them just big enough to slip through. The doctor is so busy yelling at them for damaging the specimen meaning me and fish boy failure that they don;t notice I've left until too late. I push downwards with my wings hard and flap to freedom. A few more feet, I won't fail. I refuse to sink, I will not fail. I repeat this as I hear gunshots around me. I feel them whiz by, good thing the calvary is not the best today. Guess they got lazier since anyone was last allowed outside. I'm over the wall and I glide away as quickly as possible. Inhaling I smell things that I've only heard about. Pines, oaks, flowers, and all sorts of things. My lungs fill with air and my body fills too. The sun is blinding but I don't care anymore. I'm too happy too free. The world is so small from where I'm in the clouds. I look around, I know these hospital type gown thing is not somehing that society see's as clothing.

Down below I see tents. Looks likes there are people down, landing into a tree. (A bit noisily because I haven't been taught how to land) I sniff the air and there isn't anyone here. I jump down and steady myself. I look through the campsite. There's food, a shiny metalic thing that said hello to me when I clicked on a button on the top, clothing and a small backpack. I bite my lip, this is theiving. My mother told me stealing is wrong and so did Delarosa but I'm desperate. I change into some pants of a deep blue color, a red shirt and shrug on a black jecket. I even run a comb through my unruly hair. The front sticks up and I know there isn't any fixing it. I eat one nutrition bar and grab like 10 of em. I steal some water bottles too and the backpack is handy too. I fill it with the items. It says Ipod on it. I slug it on my shoulders and it fits perfectly between my wings. I hear voices and I shoot off into the sky. I hover and look down on them. There are a bunch of boys, they look happy. Smiling and laughing, one has rusty side burns and a tall blonde looks mean. I decide to take my leave and fly away. I follow roads and when night falls I see the city below lit up. The lights are sparkling and there are so many cars.

There are people outside, it's warm and cozy. I land behind some bushes and fold my wings underneath the jacket. I look normal as far as I'm concerned. There are shops galore, some are dark and others are teeming with life. I pass by a place that says "DX" in big neon lights and I'm facinated. I think it's the bird I was infused with, I'm drawn to everything colorful. I look up and see lots of birds. They look down at me as though curious. I coo at them and they coo back. I don't know what they are saying. Smiling I walk around, I pass by some rowdy well dressed kids. They don't pay me any mind and I like it that way. I walk and walk until I'm at a park. It feels so familiar. There's an old fountain, it's far from the loud city. It's quiet here and the lights from the fountain cast a watery reflection all around the area. It's amazing. I sit on the ledge and play in the water with my fingertips. There are no coins in here, just old concrete bottom with the remians of a floral tiling.

I eat another bar and drain a water bottle. I want to eat a lot more seeing as my appetite was that of an army I know I've got to be deligent. A memory bubbles to the surface. I look up and watch a beautiful blonde woman with curls at the bottom as she chases two little boys around. The oldest is a dark skinned boy with bright black eyes and the other has auburn hair and cheerful green eyes. The woman chases them and then they fade like bad flim. I feel tears in my eyes and I slide to the floor. I place my head on the edge of the fountain and sob. Horrible sounds rip from my throat as I morn the loss of my childhood, my mother who doesn't remember me and the loss of my family. I want to feel whole again but I know this is a lost cause. I'm a lost cause. I'm freaky bird kid who was going to have to break laws to get a living.

I wipe my eyes as I hear footsteps, I keep a tight hold of the backpack and stand up. I look around and keep a sharp eye out for anyone that would maybe try and bring me back. I wouldn't go back, I refused. It's two people, one is very tall and the other is a slight bit shorter. They don't see me until it's too late for me to bail. The tallest one is blonde, his face s narrow and he looks suspicious of me. The shorter one is darker skinned, sweet looking and as though he didn't trust me either. I look closer at the mean looking one and realize I've seen him from before, he's one of the guys from the campsite. Just my fucking luck right?

"Looks like we found who robbed our campsite Johnnycakes." The blonde says.

Johnnycakes or whatever blondie called him nods in agreement. "Yeah buddy."

"Look man, you don't know me, you don't know my life so back off." I snap at him. If blondie wants a fight then he'll get one, I wasn't giving up the new items and that was final.

"You looking for a fight kid?" Blondie says his nostrils flaring.

"Dal, maybe we should give him a chance." Johnnycakes says to Dal.

"Fine but if I don't like him I'm punchin him." Dal says standing a few feet from me. I cross my arms defensively.

"Well, firstly I'm sorry I theived but I had to. It was either that or die in the wilderness and be bear meat or something. I ain't giving anything back and that's it. I'm just trying to find my home. " I keep it short and my tone neutral.

"You are obviously new, I'm Johnny and that's Dallas. Where are you trying to get to?" Johnny asks me.

"I don't know, a house with a big flower garden in the back, old swings poorly put together and a door that creaks no matter what. A street where I could yelling from down the block and a house with a woman I called my mother." I say.

Dallas is looking more curious then suspicious now, so does Johnny. They're looking at me like they're confused. Johnny speaks, "What'd the woman look like?"

I rack my brain, I try to remember as hard as I can. From the questions being asked it's like they may be useful. "Where am I? What city is this? State? Why should I tell you?"

"Listen you litt-" Dallas starts but Johnny cuts in.

"You are in Tulsa Oklahoma, and I want to help you." He says. I look into his eyes to try and detect possible lies, I see nothing. He reminds me of a kicked puppy lost in a crowd of strangers. A look I'd seen in a boy from memory.

I decide he's trustworthy enough, "She was tall, her eyes are were a pretty grey-ish blue, her hair was blonde and she loved to curl the very bottoms of it. She had the sweetest smile in all of the town. Or so I thought, but what can I say, I was 6. Her wrath was something fierce and I'm pretty sure I had two brothers. One was just like my father, but he looked like my mother. The other one was spitting image of my father but acted like my mother. " I felt the burning sensation in my eyes again. I sniffled, I needed to be strong. The two are frozen in place and they are looking at me. I had been so absorbed in my descriptions I hadn't noticed they were standing with mere inches of me.

"What's...your..na-me.." Johnny asks his voice quivering.

I furrow my brow and say confused, "Ponyboy Micheal..can't remember my last name..why?" Before I get an answer I hear shouts from behind the two, they turn and I shoot off into the surrounding folliage. I figure I'll follow the two, from their questions I was willing to bet that they knew where my house was. I peek throguh some leaves and I see Johnny looking wildly around, the one with rusty side burns is shouting something. Johnny looks frantic and sad. I feel bad but I don't want them to potentially lead me to my death. Dallas slaps the rusty haired one at the back of the head looking irritated. They walk off, Johnny explains about me and Dallas confirms. I follow in the shadows and when the cloud passes over the moon I hide in it and follow. They open the gate to an all too familar house. I feel myself gasp as I hide in a tree across the gate. I've found home, but was it still my home?

That was fun wasn't it? Do y'all like it? Would you like a pairing? If so, which one, the one that gets suggested the most wins. No curtiscest though, sorry.

R&R

Love, QueenOfFF123


	2. Did you see him?

((Okay here comes the second part. Remember this is a winged au, pone is the only hybrid currently. He is not yet 15 but will be soon. For those who do not know, pony's birthday is in July so it is warm. ))

I look at the house from a distance. Johnny, Dallas and the rusty haired one go in. The lights are all on, I hear music and a few other things. The house isn't what I remember. The paint is peeling, the shutters are a little sideways and the screen door is on it's last legs. I bite my lip and wonder if it is wise to knock. I decide not to, I'll watch from afar for a while. I need to know if I've been led to the right place. I glide downwards and go over the roof to the back yard. There are a few trees in the back, an old oak and an apple. There are a few on the ground but I can tell it's been neglected. The house is lively and it feels calm from even a distance. I want to be in there with them, but I don't know these people. Perhaps I could just wander around and play investigator for awhile. I'm pretty good with words, I'm sure I could spin some info out of some one. Sighing in defeat I creep closer. Peering into the window ever so slightly I hear voices more clearly.

"..I swear Soda we saw him.." the voice of Johnny says. He sounds like he's pleading.

"Johnny that ain't funny, it's been like 7 years. You probably just imagined him or something." The one called Soda says with a sad tone.

"But Soda..." The voice of Dallas starts.

The firm voice of some one else quiets them all, "Johnny that's enough. We all miss him and it'll be his birthday soon. Let's all just do as we always do okay?" I hear the voices all say "yeah" and "uh-huh" and one "Okay darry." Guess the deep voiced one is called Darry. His voice is familiar but I'm sure I'm just tired. I get on the roof and sit there for awhile. I let out a long sad trilling from my vocal chords. I'm sure I could sing if I knew anything to sing. I know I've got some song bird in me somewhere. Getting to my feet I stretch my wings and take off into the night. The moonlight illuminates the world below and I feel sad. I want to be in that house, talking and laughing. I want what they've got. I don't look up. I don't see the one named Soda standing outside. Watching me soar away, wondering if it is me. An angel of the little brother he sorely missed.

I make myself at home in an old house. There hasn't been anyone here in years, I can smell it. I sneeze quite a bit from all the dust though. I drape my wings around me. It feels safe inside my wings, like a shield. When morning breaks I get up and watch it rise. The colors are amazing, something I'll never forget. My first sunrise, a sunrise I won't forget. Stretching my wings I look around and shrug on the backpack. I yawn and half a bar. I'll eat the rest later. There aren't very many people out as I walk around. I walk..well sneak really, back to the house. I see all the lights are all on, guess it's a house of early risers. My kind of people I think chuckling. I go by the window and see that a boy with dark brown hair cooking. Ugh food, god I wish I had some. I see a blonde walk in and he has shorter hair than Dallas. He turns towards the window and we make eye contact. He starts walking towards the window, I panic. I shoot off into the sky and far from the house. I can't let him see me. I wonder if that's Soda. Ha, Soda, that's a funny name. Then again my name is weird too so who am I to judge?

The town is waking up as the sun starts to come fully into the sky. I glide downwards and land with small amount of fumble. I'm getting better and I feel happy to be achieving something. The shops are opening and I see a pet shop. There are birds in the window, the coo at me. I immitate them. This is fun, I think and play the game. The cockatoo freaks me out so I leave. He puffed himself up and stuff, how am I not expected to feel threatened. I know I know, I probably could take him down easily but I'm too nice to animals. I walk in an ally and see a worker from a cafe dump a bunch of stuff in the trash. I get closer once he's gone. Nothing in here is rotten nor stale, just old. I load the backpack up with them and walk around with a bagel in my mouth. It's the most winderful thing ever. I watch people for awhile and then I see a library. This building is red bricked and not too tall. But it's not in shambles, it's pretty. There are vines with purple flowers on them. I leanred later that they are called "Morning Glories."

I go inside and I see a woman holding a tall stack of books. The threaten to tip over, I rush over and steady them for her. Her gray hair is in a tight bun and her glasses have those beaded string things. She smiles at me and thanks me. I smile at her and go over to where the flower books are. I don't know how long I spent there just that I learned a lot of things. I read about flowers, birds, foods, and a lot of adventure books. The woman from earlier I leanred was Mrs. Gates, and she was the owner. She was a sweet woman, she offered me a library card. I must have looked mighty silly when she told me and I bounced up and down like a 4 year old. When 4 rolled around I bid her goodbye and left with a few flower books. ik just loved the bright colors and the birds. Oh golly don't even get me started on the birds. I liked owls and blue birds best. I ate muffin and some water as I walked by the neon sign of the "DX station." I saw the blonde one from earlier and a darker haired one I hadn't seen before. They were laughing together and they looked like best friends.

Sometimes when I was lonely I would imagine some one. I would imagine the little friend from when I was 6. he'd sit across from me and tell me I was going to be okay. As I got older I stopped seeing him. I told myself that it was best not to do childish things when in this cruel world. Life became duller if possible after that. I watched the duo for awhile longer, the dark haired ones shirt said "Steve" on it. I saw Soda and Steve wave at some boys. It was Johnny, sideburns, and Dallas. The five of them were all smiling. "Steve" looks my way and he holds my stare. His eyes widen and his mouth is agape. I dash away and curse myself for getting caught so many times. I am the worst spy ever, seriously I'd be dead by now. I gasp for breath when I've run a good distance away and sigh. On the morrow I'd be 15. A whole 9 years will have gone by since I was last here. I honestly want to cry again, but I've done enough crying. I had to be a big kid and take care of myself. I sit down on a bench and close my eyes. I'll just sit here until some one knows me. Maybe I'll wake up in my cage, same old same old. I don't expect anything, just a whole lotta "I hate my life."

~~~3rd person

Soda had seen an angel. He swore he did. He even saw the face of his baby brother, only aged. Soda had run out to see if his eyes weren't playing with him. He had looked up to see large wings and what looked like a human. Soda told himself it was Ponyboy, checking up on him. Steve had been working on the cars, Soda had made a wise crack when Two-Bit walked up. Then he saw him. A reddish-brown haired, green eyed kid with a endless look of curiousity in his face. He held the stare and it dawned on him. In front of him was the aged Ponyboy Micheal Curtis. he had to tell Soda, show him that Johnny wasn't nuts. But then he was gone, quick as a cricket. Steve looked at Johnny and Johnny asks, "Did you see him?" Steve nods looking back to where the kid had been. He wanted it to be real so badly, his best buddy had never smiled the same since they'd lost the kid. Hell everyone did. The house had become somewhat of a sad somber place. It had perked a bit but then the accident took the tiny light and snuffed it. Soda and Darry had cried together, superman and smiles couldn't handle it. Soda wasn't the same, smiles seemed faked.

Darry looks up and see's what looks like a very large bird. It wasn't unsual for birds to perch on the equipment so he didn't think much of it. He walked on by with a bundle of roofing on his shoulder and looked up into the eyes of some one he thought long gone. Brightest green with grey specks, the boy had almost red hair and he wasn't looking at Darry. He was a good story above Darry, he was copying some birds. They were the pigeons that were always there. Darry swore he was nuts but he rubbed his eyes: the boy was still there. They made eye contact and he jumped down pff the building. Darry panicked and rushed to the side of the building. Not a trace of him but a flock of disgruntled pigeons. He looks up again and feels like he didn't imagine anything. Darry goes about work normally. On the other side of town Two-Bit Matthews is sitting in the library to try and study. It's a lost cause and when he stands he passes by a kid with auburn hair. He bumps into him, and the kids books fall to the floor. They both apologize and when Two-Bit looks up he's met with green eyes with flecks of grey. The exact eyes of a boy he remembered from childhood. A boy who let his mother carry him eevrywhere, let his father use his crayons and had a smile of purity.

The kid takes his books and leaves Two-Bit stunned on the floor. He meets up with Johnny later and tells him. Dallas and Johnny inform Two-Bit that the guy is real. Ponyboy is really here, in the flesh. He also tells them that he's very lost, very confused and clearly very sad. The trio walk to the DX, when Johnny follows Steves gaze he knows. Johnny knows that Steve has seen him too. It seemed that Pony was following all of them, trying to figure out if they were helpful. When the 5 of them go home to the Curtis house they see Darry looking confused. He's got his head in his hands on the front steps. He pulls Johnny aside and questions him desperately. Now they've all seen him, all except the one whom it matters most. Steve tries to tell Soda but is snuffed. Soda doesn't like his baby brothers name mentioned. Soda goes out back and slams the door shut. He doesn't want to be bothered about what he's been missing for years.

"You saw him too Darry?" Dallas asks.

"Yeah, he was..immitating birds. He was perched on a beam above me. I know it was him, I just know it. His eyes, glory I can't mistake em." Darry sniffles and they all know Pone was his favorite. Ponyboy had always been everyones favorite. They 5 of them sit on the porch and try to plan a way to find the boy who had flitted by them all day. Johnny sighs and gets up.

"Where are you going?" Two-Bit asks.

"To find him, I going to bring him here. Who better to tell who he is truly then his own brothers?" Johnny responds and leaves. H e walks to the park and the sun is slipping away. Johnny looks at a bench with some one on it, he see's the jacket and knows who it is. He looks at the face and see's a childhood friend in the aged face. He stretches a hand out and shakes the boy he wanted so desperately to call "Ponyboy Curtis." The eyes open and their eyes meet Johnny says, "Please come with me, we'll help you find your home. Please?"

So there y'all go, chapt 2! Was that okay? Did I do good? So due to popular demand there won't be a pairing, sorry y'all. And Guest #2 I like your review, I will never not acknolwedge you!

R&R, Love

QueenOfFF123


	3. Fight or Flight

((Alright friends, here comes chapt 3. Like always this is a winged Au, Pone is 15 and this is where the fun starts. S. is the creator of this wonderful world we all wish were a part of. Hope everyone enjoys this chapter, I have done my best not to fuck up the spelling too much so please bear with me here. Guest #2, ha, that would be funny. Love you too PeeWeePenguin. ))

PONY POV

I was lying on the bench when some one was shaking me awake. The sky was dark and the lights were on. The fountain has cast its watery reflection all over the park again and I open my eyes. Above me stands Johnny, and he looks like he is saying something. My mind hasn't caught up with my hearing yet. I sit up and the world comes into focus and sound like some one turning up a stereo in my ears. "You gotta come with me" he says. Why would I do that? I put on the backpack and sleepily follow him. I yawn and he's leading me to the house I spent so much time gazing at. I walk through the door after Johnny. Everyone is staring at me, I tilt my head in confusion.

"Is there something on my face?" I ask and I wished I hadn't said anything. It was like an explosion of noise and I was surrounded by all of them. Questions, accusations and loud voices. Flashes of white lab coats and shouting, needles and screaming. I hit the ground and cover my ears with my hands. Its too loud, too crowded.

"Back off! Y'all are scaring him!" Johnny's voice carries through my panicked haze. The noise goes dead instantly and I peek though my fingers. Johnny is on one knee in front of me, concern in his eyes. I stand and brush off my knees, blushing because I panicked. I scolded myself, I had to be strong. Everyone here was bigger than me, even with enhanced strength I wouldn't stand a chance. I see the one called Soda staring at me. I feel the need to hug him, to jump into the arms limp to his sides. He looks so lost, as though he doesn't understand something. I take a step in and hold up a shaking arm. I try to steady it but to no prevail. He takes a step, so I copy, silent footsteps. Soon he stands in front on me, a foot or so away. His hand meets mine and he steps closer and I stay still. His eyes look over every feature, I do the same. A movie star handsome face, wonderful eyes all their own and a perfect hair do. Then he grips my hand and turns in over. We both look down and there are the scars, some self inflicted, doctor inflicted and a scar I remember getting very well. I remember a boy my age, we played chicken with some cigerettes. Round scars are in my palms. Then Soda has a tight hold of me, hugging the life out of me. I feel moisture on the stolen jacket and I know he's crying. I feel my own eyes burn as a realization dawns on me.

I found my brother.

He's holding me.

He's real, I'm really here.

He's holding me like I always imagined it, like I was his only lifeline. I start to cry too and he rocks us back and forth once his knees have buckled. He's crying so hard I wondered if he'd shrivel up from all the water loss. I look past his shoulder and see the broad shouldered form that is what I'm sure is Darry. The one I spied on at the construcion site, he looked conflicted. So I did what I had done with Soda, stretched out an arm to him. (Mind you it was hard, Soda was hugging me very tightly.) Darry sits down and takes my arm. He's got tears in his eyes, I can't think of anything to say. So I just let my mind decide, "Hi big brother, your turn to hide." He hugs both Soda and I and he starts to cry too.

"I'm so sorry Ponyboy, so sorry I lost you." He says when he regains his breath. Soda won't let go and I smile slightly and pinch him.

"Hey, I can't feel my arms man." I keep my tone playful.

"Heh..sorry. Glory look at you, all grown up. I'm sorry I missed it. Where have you been?" Soda asks as he releases me. I don't want to answer. I'm a freak, I have giant bird wings hidden underneath my jacket. How could I tell them that water scares me, that the color white makes me sick? How was I to tell the these boys that I was a freak? I feel the burning in my eyes again but my stomach saves me by growling loudly. Rusty starts laughing and soon they're all laughing, even me. "Well looks like you are hungry there Pone."

"Really? What told you that?" I shoot back at him smiling.

"Oh Soda, looks like he's got a mouth on him still." Rusty says.

I can't help it, I'm desperate for his name, I ask him, "Who are you?"

He raises an eyebrow, I copy him. We do that for a whole minute until he finally answers, "Guess that memory of yours is all whack. I'm Keith, but everyone calls me Two-Bit. I was your favorite when you were little." He feigns hurt dramatically.

Then it clicks, a boy with rusty sideburns and a never ceasing grin. Making wise-cracks and constant trouble, his mother talking with mine. Playing hide and seek with him when everyone was too busy. I feel myself grin and the hole in myself is filling up. Bit by bit I feel like the pieces I was missing being given back to me. I look over at Steve, I recall him never being too fond of me. I stand and get on my tip-toes, I barely come to half-way his chest. Damn tall people. He looks down at me and says, "I missed you kid. You are still short as hell though." He grins and I grin back.

"I'm not short, everyone else is too tall." I reply with hands on my hips.

"I don't know, you're like the size of a 10 year old." He says back.

"Well, I wanna know, how do you keep disappearing so fast?" Dallas asks me.

"Guess I'm just too awesome." I say with a small smile. It's fake, I'm dodging the real answer as much as possible. I don't want to tell them what happened to me, hell I don't want to remember. They all look at me and I sit down in the kitchen and start yammering. Questions about their lives and I prattle on about birds. Then I finally, "Where are our parents?" Its real silent and no one wants to speak. Finally its Dallas who answers in that same neutral tone he always talks in.

"They died kid." That's it, short and simple.

"O-oh..." I say, my voice cracking. Now I'll never know what they think of me. I'll never hear their voices I longed to hear again. Why did I even bother to come back? They always said that my parents gave me up willingly. That they didn't want me, that I don;t matter. The parents I had in my memories were lies, pure imagination. Were they right? This was horrible, I don't want to think anymore. They're all looking at me, but I'm just so hit hard by this I can't speak. The world is blurring and my eyes are burning. But big kids don't cry, and I was a big kid. I wanted to stop crying, really I did but couldn't. I put my face into my hands as I slid off the chair and onto the floor. I sat underneath the table and cried. It was dark under the table and reminded me of my cage. Sure it hadn't been a hotel but it had been mine. Truthfully I wanted to go back into it, stay in the one place. I hear the shuffling of feet and I peek through my hands. There's Darry on his hands and knees under the table. It's actually kinda funny because he's so huge and looks cramped. He looks ridiculous under here and I let out a small watery chuckle.

"Y-you look ridiculous ya know.." I say sniffling.

"I do don't I?" he says with a small smile. "Ponyboy, please come out from under here. It's dirty and dusty, you might hit your head." his voice is full of concern. A tone I'd only heard in distant memories. I start to bawl again. He holds out his arms (with clear difficulty) and I grab ahold of them. I hide in his shoulder as he scoots us both out. I hear Two-Bit comment, "He looks like a bear coming outta its cave." and the sound of a skin against his head. Guess some one hit him, I giggle.

"Quick, hit Two-Bit again, it makes him laugh." I hear Soda say. The a smacking sound and "OW WHAT THE HELL."

SMACK.

"No cursing!" Soda's voice says. I giggle some more and peek at them. I look at Steve and he winks at me. He takes a pillow and whacks Two-Bit with it. I laugh at the bewildered expression on Two-Bits face. I start laughing at how ridiculous they looked fighting with floral pillows.

~~~3rd

Dallas let the bomb drop too hard. Pony's eyes showed that his whole world had been shattered. Soda threw a can at him in fury. They watched curiously, and waited to see how he'd react. They watched as his eyes became a battlefield, emotion after emotion warred with the next. He covered his face with his hands and crawled under the clothes table. Darry was the first react as he crawled under the tiny table. He looked ridiculous and they all knew. They heard hushed conversation and more crying. Darry emerged with a hiding Ponyboy in hisn arms. Soon it was game, to make him laugh by abusing Two-Bit. Two-Bit was really smarting but it was helping the kid laugh so he let it happen. Over dinner the boys watched Pony look at the different foods with fear. They were unatural colors because he was not made aware of Soda's love of food dye.

"Why is this blue?" "Is this safe?" "Does this have mold?" were the questions asked as he stared at his plate. Once Soda explained what he had done Pone ate, _and ate,and ate and __**ate. **_This was the day they learned Ponyboy had the appetite of a full grown stallion. They watched in amazement and then laughed when Pony realized how much he'd eaten. "Oops." was all he could say. He smiled at them with his ears redder than an apple. The atmosphrere was happy and calm. All were happy for the first time in years. The family was almost whole again but what Pony didn't know was that the gang had made a silent swear to always protect their little angel. When dinner was over Steve and Soda did dishes and almost smashed three of em. Pone had settled in the middle of the couch. He and Two-Bit stacked cans and Two-Bits shoes together. Dallas walked by and "accidently" knocked over the tower. Pony hadn't minded, he actually laughed at Two-Bits broken hearted face.

"Pony, please tell us where you've been." Soda says sitting across his little brother from on the floor. The gang has piled into the small living room.

"I don't know." Pony responds.

~~~Pone

They were going to make me tell. No I wasn't ready yet, there had to be an open window. I was trapped, trapped all over again. I didn't want to live, I finally had what I wanted. I couldn't leave, but I was so panicked. I looked at them with a blank stare. Soda is looking me with so much pleading and desperation I almost gasp. I swallow and I know I'm going to have to tell. I have to tell them. I owe it to them, if I hadn't followed that cat I would've never been in this situation. I pull my legs to my chest and keep my wings pinned to my back. Normally I'd wrap my wings around myself for a sense of security but I couldn't. After swallowing quite a bit I open my mouth.

"It was...it was dark. There were..."doctors" there, they did things to me. Awful things, it was so painful. I screamed and screamed and no one ever came." I said with a shaky voice. "It was a scary place, they did things to kids like me. I met a boy who was only 8 and they saw his bottom half off so they could see how long a body could live without the bottom half. He died in the cage next to mine. I had blood all over my feet, it was awful. I never learn names because they always die and why bother getting attacthed right?" My voice was giving up on me slowly as I remembered things. It was awful, the images I'd worked so hard to repress. I cover my face with my hands and rubs my burning eyes. I scold myself for crying, I didn't know none of those kids. Why cry over em? Looking around I see the gang's faces are mixtures of horror and sadness. I think Johnny just went into the bathroom to throw up. I can hear his retching and grimace. He comes back and suts down.

"Pony...what kind of things...did they do to you?" Darry asks in a quiet voice.

"I...I don't know if I should tell you. You might h-..ate me." I say, my voice cracking in a high pitches squeak on 'hate.'

"Please tell me, Pony I gotta know." Soda pleads taking my hands in his. I bite my lip. Its fight or flight. I could battle the urge to leave and tell them or it's race away into the night like I'd never been there at all. I choose to fight it. Getting to my feet I take off the jacket.

"Anyone have a blade?" I ask.

"I got one." Sidebur-Two-Bit says. He hands me a large black handled swicth blade. It's impressive and something in my gut says he didn't buy it.

"Thank you." I smile at him and take the blade behind my back. I rip the cloth to make slits just big enough to let the brown wings hidden become revealed. They push thorugh the slits and spread as wide as they can without knocking anything over. They are massive compared to me, I am pretty small. Gasps, a kind of choking noise and a loud thump is all I hear. I peek through eyelids I never knew I closed and see Soda on the floor. He out cold and Johnny is shell-shocked. Darry looks like he can't breathe and the rest look like fish.

Well hell.

So much for not getting involved too far in this town.

Was that too fast? Was it believable? Ah hell, I tried.


End file.
